Blogs from Cuba, Central America Caribbean - page 105

With a hurricane class 3 on the day of our departure we tempted fate.. who spared us by having both our different flight canceled 4 hours apart (our rent a car was returned and I had already left the airport). Ted and I caught up and as there was no electricity, light, nor gas at the family house we normally stay at, we have finally checked in a hotel (which we probably can't leave until tomorrow now as the waters are rising). One happy chap is Ted cause his photos of the waves crashing on the Malecon promenade are going to be...smashing. Oh, well; travels do turn out to be adventures when unexpected things happen (like chasing after the guy who stole my photo camera last night). So all is well, even though we don't know ... read more

I little more of my observations of the people of Cuba... Food: I forgot to mention their passion for... mayonnaise! They sell huge pot of it and have it for breakfast and probably lunch too. I don't care cause I'm sticking to my favorite: Guayaba marmalada (goyave jam) which reminds me of my mother's. Quite hard to find anything vegetarian in normal restaurant and nothing enticing in the few vego places I have found!. I think I'll revert back to fruits (only a few cents) and daiquiri. Oh, I forgot to mention I now make mean daiquiris! The bods: It is hot, and 'occasionally', cuban man will uncover their chest -not to my displeasure-. Guys, close your eyes. Girls, this is not bad! The man here have muscly but very lean bodies with every single little ... read more

21/8 Mexico: Ok, so I experienced my first missed plane. Those who know me, can imagine the (internal) swearing I went throught until I thought my favorite from Ted "It's only money". So I end up back at a hotel in Mexico City (a U$140 later) but in El Centro this time. I did worry about how quiet a Catholic country gets on Sunday... until I saw something like 10,000 people at the Cathedrale Square watching a concert! Not to worry; plenty of entertainment just walking around. Even got 'smoked' by a native healer. Waow, this Tacuba hot chocolate is sooo sweet. They must have added more sugar every year since the conception of this cafe in 1912. Still, can't explain the security guard at the front. And yes, I did buy something already: a white ... read more

The morning of our horse riding trip started well enough when a woman collected us from our casa particular (our lodging house), but we were soon to discover we were in the hands of cowboys! We were left standing at a street corner to await the arrival of the other tourists. They took so long that eventually a woman who lived nearby let us sit in her living room to get out of the already intense sunshine. After some time, everyone had arrived and without so much as a "This is a horse" we were cajoled to mount our steeds, and off we all trotted. This part wasn't too bad but soon we came to the top of a large hill, nay, mountain. The path narrowed to a mouse-run overhung with nasty looking bushes and low-lying ... read more

Thurs, June 30th Arrived 4hrs early @O’Hare STILL a traffic AND people jam! I'll never reveal what I paid for this cab to the airport. Nevertheless, time to walk NOT RUN to gate for boarding @6:24pm. Even had time to gain ‘cool points’ for wearing this cap I was able to purchase in the Loop. On plane @O'Hare-Poor kid seated behind my row never did stop fidgeting & crying......actually guessed this by passengers facial expressions beside me....... ....You know....BOSE® noise canceling headsets are worth pure gold!!....never in-the-air without em’! Thinking on my research at 30,000 feet, what I may be able to accomplish, what new videography I will have privilege to shoot.....what new source/contacts I’ll meet.......MOSTLY, where I’ll stay, as these individuals (outside of being friends of certain Cuban e-mail acquaintance/friends) are total strangers who ... read more